City council extends hand to Huntland School

Posted on Friday, March 14, 2014 at 4:04 pm

STAFF WRITER

Evan Harris

Huntland Mayor Patrick Matthews gives Huntland High School teacher Chris Hobbs a check for $500 on behalf of himself and the Huntland Board members. The check will help to create an exercise facility for Huntland students after school.

Huntland teacher and girls’ soccer coach Chris Hobbs is in the process of qualifying for a grant that would help create an after-school workout facility for use by all students at Huntland School.

“I wanted to do something to give back to the kids so that they can be active,” Hobbs said.

For the particular grant, Hobbs recently enlisted the help of Huntland Mayor Patrick Matthews and Huntland’s city board.

Hobbs recently appeared before the Huntland board members and informed them that he was going to apply for a grant to buy equipment for the pupils of Huntland School to use after the school day ends.

Hobbs explained he needed to have $500 to put toward the effort to qualify for the grant.

“We want the community, its people, the board of education, the county, we want everyone, to know that as the board of mayor and aldermen here in Huntland we have a priority to help the children, and the youth groups.” Mayor Mathews said in a statement.

The board agrees with Mayor Matthews and approved the donation of $500 to help Hobbs and Huntland School in receiving the grant.

With or without the grant, the Huntland Board’s donation enables the school to continue growing this program.

Hobbs mentioned he would like to start an after school program, where children can come learn how to train and exercise correctly.

He noted that there are four teachers who are certified in health and fitness that are willing to donate their time to help the children in this program.

According to Hobbs, not only would this give kids an opportunity to exercise and get healthy, but would also give kids a safe place to go after school.

“These teachers are donating their time and creating a safe atmosphere for these children,” Mayor Mathews said. He went on to add, “Lord knows what’s out on the streets for them these days.”

Mayor Matthews said it was a “hands down” decision on whether or not to make the $500 donation.

“In the future these children are going to be the next peers of our town, so maybe they can carry over some of this leadership on through life with them.” Mayor Matthews stated.

Hobbs is quick to thank the Board of Mayor and Aldermen knowing that they are a key piece in this puzzle.

“Without Mayor Matthews and the board’s help there’s no way we could qualify for this grant,” Hobbs said of the importance of the council’s involvement.

Huntland, being a very rural area, does not currently have a workout gym. The development of this program could be huge for some of these young kids’ lives.

Hobbs realizes the significance the program could have on the community.

“This is huge for Huntland, we’re doing something that they’ve never had,” he Hobbs.

The program will be for all students, not just athletes, and will focus on the correct way to train and exercise.

A similar grant was received in 2011 to help create a faculty-training center, which Hobbs said has been great and is heavily used.

In a time when obesity is on the rise and kids can find themselves into trouble at the slightest miss turn, this program is a win-win for not only Huntland Schools, but the entire community.

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